All I've Got Left
by Cosette Due
Summary: Snape returns from a week in New York. A new student shows up the day after. Is there some connection?
1. A Week in New York

Hey! Hey! Hey! I'm back with a new category! Harry Potter!!! This is my first Harry Potter fic. Please don't flame me too badly. I made up some characters and one my friend made up. Ana (Anya) is Harry's twin sister. The other two you'll be able to figure out quick enough. The fic focuses on Snape and Ebony's relationship throughout her first year at Hogwarts. It takes place in year 5. (Ebony is a transfer.) Hope ya like it! Love always, Cosette *-*

  


Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters. They belong to J. K. Rowling.

  


  


It was in the fourth week of September when an owl came and interrupted Professor Snape's Advanced Potions class with a message for Snape. He read the note and went even whiter than he originally had been. He then threw out the note and made an announcement to the class, all the while looking like he was going to cry.

"I will be in New York for the next week. I am leaving you assignments, and they will be graded." He sighed. "That's it. Class dismissed." He said and hung his head.

The class made its way towards the door, but Harry Potter stayed behind.

"Harry, let's go." Said Ana, his twin sister.

"I'll be there in a minute." He said and turned to Snape. Although Snape was his least favorite teacher, Harry could tell something was very wrong. "Professor Snape? Is everything all right?"

"Yes, of course." His voice quivered gently as he spoke. "Why do you ask?" He didn't look up.

"After the owl came, you didn't seem right."

"I'M FINE, POTTER. NOW GET OUT!" Snape screamed, still staring down at the desk.

So for the next week, Snape was absent. Harry and his friends were all very surprised at how easy the work had been.

"You think he'd give us some spell we've never heard of before." Ron stated. "I was done in two days! _That_ says something!"

"Well, he'll be back today." Hermione said. 

"Yes, back to his wonderfully _charming_ self." Harry said sarcastically.

"Harry, don't be mean. The poor man's obviously had something horrid happen to him." Ana said. "You saw the way he acted when the owl gave him that note."

They sat in their seats as Snape walked into the classroom. He looked greatly disturbed.

He sighed. "I can't teach today." He muttered. "Class, I received your assignments. I have yet to grade them." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I can't teach today, class dismissed."

***The Next Day***

"Just our luck to have Potions first!" Ron shouted, walking to class. 

"Ya think he'll give us the day off again?" Kate asked cautiously.

"Doubt it." Ana said. "Did you see him yesterday? He looked about ready to break down! If I had to take a guess, I'd say someone in his family died."

"Ana..." Hermione whispered. "Who's that?" She asked pointing in the direction of a girl that none of them had ever seen before.

The girl wasn't tall and it was impossible to see her figure under the Hogwart's robes, but something about her was different. Her hair, pin-straight and jet black, descended to her shoulder blades. She wore a nervous look about her pale white face. The only thing that really seemed to stick out were her sparkling blue eyes.

"I've seen her somewhere before... At least, I get the feeling I have..." Harry said softly.

"I know what you mean..." Hermione and Ron said at the same time.

"Class, take you seats. We have a lot to do to make up for yesterday." Snape said. "Ah, and I see our new student is in class today. Please. Stand up and introduce yourself."

The girl stood up. "Aight. For those of you who haven't met me already my name's Ebony Sn... Epans. I'm from New York City. I went to Silver Brooms Academy for Witches and I'm an exchange student here at Hogwarts to see how things are done in England. One warning. I am from New York and I have the attitude to match. You wanna get in my way, that's fine, but be prepared to face the consequences." She warned.

"We're very frightened." Draco Malfoy said sarcastically.

"You wanna start with me, blonde boy?" Ebony asked, beginning to walk over to Malfoy's desk.

"Miss Epans, if you'll be so kind as to sit down, we can start today's lesson." Snape said.

"Sorry, Un... Professor." Ebony said, sitting next to Kate Maxwell.

"Don't get on his bad side." Kate warned in a whisper. "He'll make your life hell."

"Miss Maxwell, since you're so talkative today, maybe you'd like to tell us what we were working on before I left."

"Certainly, Professor." Kate said, mocking him in her own right. "We were working on the... damn... just had it..."

"Very good, Miss Maxwell. The Forgetful Potion." Snape said, earning a few brave giggles. "Miss Epans. Did they teach you this one in your American school?"

Ebony smirked. "'Course they did, but I forgot how to do it after someone spilled it on my lunch." A few more brave giggles were heard.

Harry looked at her. Where had he seen that smirk before? It looked so familiar, but he couldn't place it. He shrugged it off and continued to make his potion.

"Professor, what would happen if I put this in?" Kate asked, adding a substance that obviously did not agree with the other ingredients and blew up in her face. And Snape's. Literally. 

"That would happen, Miss Maxwell. Minus twenty from Gryffindor." He said, wiping his face with his sleeve. Ebony giggled. "You find this funny?" Snape demanded. "Minus another twenty." 

Ebony stopped laughing. "Oh, this is gonna be a long year..." She muttered to herself.


	2. Secret Revealed

***Three Days Later*** 

Ana sighed. Sitting in Snape's Advanced Potions class was not what she wanted to do. Especially since she knew that, like her twin brother Harry Potter, Snape didn't like her. She stared straight ahead, pretending to pay attention as Snape explained how to make a "Sleeping Death" potion.

"Um... Professor Snape?" The new girl, Ebony Epans, said, raising her hand. Snape nodded in her direction, expecting a question. "The way you're making that potion is inefficient." A few startled gasps were heard from around the room. "If you substitute Dragon Claw for Troll Hair, you could leave out Toad Eyes, Rat Tail, and Phoenix Ember." As she stopped, she shrank a little in her seat, realizing everyone was staring at her. 

Snape smiled an evil smile towards the girl. "Americans. Always looking for a quicker way." He muttered then announced to the class. "Although using Dragon's Claw is another way to make this potion, you are not to use it. If you use that on the final, you will fail." Then he turned back to Ebony. "And that'll be a detention for you."

Ebony shot up. "Professor Snape, that's not fair. I didn't do anything! I pointed something out!"

"Double detention and minus twenty from Gryffindor." He said nonchalantly.

"But—"

"Say one more word, Miss Epans, and it will be triple and minus two-hundred!" Snape warned. Now sit down." Reluctantly, she sat. "I'd also like to talk to you after class."

"But I'll be late for History of Wand Making."

"Give me one good reason why I should care." She sat silent and gave him a glare that said, "you _know_ why you should care," but she said nothing. "Ah. No reason. Just as I thought. I'll see you after class."

Suddenly, Harry started to wonder. Was Snape purposely picking on Ebony? She'd only been at Hogwarts three days and Snape appeared to be _trying_ to make her life a living hell.

When class was over, Harry waited for her right outside the classroom and listened to the conversation between Ebony and Snape.

"I'm not going to give you detention or deduct points this time, but don't disrupt my class again. Do you hear me?" Snape asked.

"Yea, but just one thing." Ebony said roughly. "Are you _trying_ to make me miserable? The entire class _knows_ you hate me!"

"I don't want them to become suspicious."

"Oh, don't worry. They're not!" She said very sarcastically. Harry couldn't believe it. Ebony was _yelling_ at Snape! "Uncle Severus, don't you think I've been through enough? Can't you be a _little_ nicer to me?"

"Now that wouldn't be very 'uncle-like' of me, would it?" He paused. "Only joking. Trust me, you're not the only one suffering from this, Ebony. Your parents were wonderful people and I'll miss them immensely. You're all I've got left now." He said gently. "C'mon. I'll take you to your class."

Harry had no where to run. Snape and Ebony came out of the room and he had no place to hide. Snape spotted him immediately.

"POTTER!" He yelled, almost in surprise.

"Um... Professor Snape. I... I was waiting for Ebony."

"And in doing so, heard everything." Said Snape, obviously very irritated. 

"It's all right, Uncle Severus. Harry won't tell anyone. Will you Harry?"

"Of course not!" Harry said quickly. "But why don't you want anyone to know you're related?"

Snape sighed. "I suppose you'll want to know everything." Harry slowly nodded. "Fine, but you're not to tell a soul and that'll be twenty points from Gryffindor for eavesdropping!" 

"Oh, come on. Don't take off points! He was just curious!" Ebony stated in Harry's defense.

Again, Snape sighed. "Fine. No point deduction."

Slowly, Harry was beginning to realize Snape's one weakness— his niece. 

"All right, sit down, Potter. This isn't a long story, but knowing you, you'll probably have a thousand questions." Snape said before starting. "It's as simple as this: Ebony's father was my twin brother. I'm her uncle."

"But—"

"And he starts with the questions!" Snape exclaimed. "Go one, but I'm warning you, Potter. Nothing leaves this room! You hear?"

Harry nodded. "Why are your last names different if her father was your brother?"

"Potter, spell 'Epans' backwards in your head." Snape said with hints of annoyance in his voice. 

"Snape!"

"Uncle Severus, I think you should give Harry an 'A' because he knows how to spell!" Ebony said jokingly. "Ya know, Harry. Your dad and my dad were real close friends. My dad used to say that he asked Dumbledore if you could live with us in the States, but he said it would be better if you stayed with your family."

"I'd never be able to stand seeing _you_ every summer." Snape stated, glaring at Harry.

"You went to America every summer?" Harry inquired.

"I had to see my brother, sister-in-law, and niece sometime." Snape said snidely.

"Uncle Severus spent every summer with us." Ebony said gently.

"I hated that wretched city." Snape said. "It's too noisy. Even at night..."

"But you haven't answered my question. Why don't you want anyone to know you're related?" Harry asked, growing impatient. 

"One, people might think I'm treating her better because she's my niece."

"And two?" 

"And two, people also might start to say that she belongs in Slytherin because I was in Slytherin."

"Her father wasn't?"

"No. My brother was in Gryffindor with your father."

"What happened to your brother?"

Snape looked down. "Ebony, would you go into my office for a moment?"

"Yes, sir." She said softly. She wasn't stupid. She knew what Snape was going to tell Harry.

"Harry," Snape said when Ebony had left the room. "My brother, along with his wife were murdered. That's why I went to New York. For the funerals. I'm Ebony's only living relative."

"Who killed them? Voldermort?"

"I'm not sure, but whoever it is may want Ebony dead, too. That's another reason her name's backwards. For her protection." Snape said, tears forming in his eyes.

"Professor Snape? Are you all right?"

"I'm not sure, Harry. I'm really not sure." He said softly.

Without a word, Harry stood up and left before he saw a side of Snape he never wanted to see. On his way up the corridor, he passed Snape's office where he could hear Ebony crying bitterly.


	3. A Long Night

Later, that night around eleven-thirty, Harry was trying to sleep when he heard someone knocking on his door. He got up to open it and found Ebony standing on the other side.

"Harry! I didn't wake you did I?"

"No. I was just about sleeping but not quite."

"Good. I need help."

"What?"

"My uncle said if I ever needed someone to talk to, I could go to his chambers, but he never told me where they were. He just said it was in the Slytherin house. Would you take me there?" Harry could now hear the tears in her voice. There was no way he could say no.

"Of course. Hold on a moment, though." Harry went back into the room to get something and returned with the Invisibility Cloak. "Stay close to me."

They traveled down the hall under the cloak, but when they came to the entrance to the Slytherin house, Harry stopped dead.

"We can't get in! We don't know the password."

"He told me that much." Ebony said. "Bug-squash." She whispered softly and the door swung open.

"Who's there?" 

Harry's heart skipped a beat. "Peeves! If he sees us, he'll yell for Filch!"

"But he can't see us." Ebony pointed out.

Harry calmed down and started to walk again. He honestly had no idea where Snape's chambers were, nor did he really care to know, but he could tell how upset Ebony was. Harry would have gladly talked to her or given her a hug, but he supposed she needed a familiar face. Finally, after what seemed to be an hour, if not two, they came upon a door that read "S. Snape."

"Well, here we are." Harry said.

Ebony kissed his cheek quickly. "Thank you for taking me. I know you had no idea where you were going."

"Anytime." He smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye Harry." Ebony said and knocked on the door. Snape opened it.

"Ebony? What are you doing here?"

"I'm really sorry if I woke you up. I... I just needed someone to talk to. I know I've got my room mates, but I needed someone that I _knew._ Someone familiar..." She was starting to break down again.

He hugged her. "No, it's all right. I wasn't asleep..." He lied. "Are _you_ all right?" He already knew the answer, but he wanted her to admit it. She shook her head into his chest. "All right. Come on. Sit down." He said, guiding her into his room and sitting her on his bed. "I'll make some tea, and we can talk." She nodded in agreement.

They talked for hours, and he finally coaxed her in to sleeping. Only a few minutes later, there was another knock at the door. This time, it was Professor McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore.

"So it _is_ true." McGonagall exclaimed at seeing Ebony fast asleep in Snape's bed.

"May I _help_ you?" Snape asked.

"Peeves told us there was a girl in your room. He didn't appear to be making it up and now we see that he wasn't." McGonagall stated.

"You think I...? Oh, sweet gods! Never!" Snape shouted. "Minerva, that's my _niece_! You know _that_!"

"Yes, Severus, I know, but _you_ know that students are not allowed in teacher's chambers. _Especially_ at night!"

Snape closed the door behind him so that they were all standing in the hall.

"The two of you just made this _very_ personal!" Snape said in a harsh whisper. "She has just had her parents _murdered_, been taken away from her natural environment, and forced to go to classes with people she doesn't know! And now you two come to my chambers at three in the morning and accuse me of incest!"

"Severus, we didn't mean..." 

"Oh, I know very well what you mean, Minerva." He paused and sighed. "She had a nightmare and didn't want to stay up all night crying to herself when I had given her full permission to come to me to talk."

"So you deliberately broke the rule?" McGonagall concluded.

Snape looked her straight in the eye. "If that's what I felt was best for my family, then yes, Minerva, I deliberately broke the rule." He stated defiantly. 

Dumbledore broke in. "Minerva, Severus is a Hogwarts Professor, his actions were justified by good reasons. We can take his word."

"Now if you'll both excuse me, I have to go find a comfortable spot on my armchair." Snape said and slammed the door in their faces. As he entered his room, Ebony stirred slightly, waking up.

"Uncle Severus, where'd you go?" She asked sleepily.

"I... I heard some students in the hall. Go back to sleep. You have class tomorrow." She nodded and within seconds, she had fallen asleep again.


	4. Breakfast

The next morning, Ebony and Snape were both woken up by an alarm — an owl screeching outside the window.

"Shut it off..." Ebony grunted into the pillow.

"You're closer." Snape growled. He hadn't gotten much sleep on the armchair but was willing to deal with it.

"Fine." Ebony walked over to the window. "Go away! We're up!" The owl flew away and Ebony walked to the bathroom. "Is it okay if I take a shower?"

Snape nodded, still trying to wake up.

When she got out of the shower, she found Snape gone, but clothes were laid out for her on the bed. She dressed quickly and went down to breakfast.

In the Great Hall, she was sipping coffee (black) and reading the Daily Prophet, when Ron spoke up.

"Ya know, Eb. I've been thinking."

"For a change." Hermione said.

He glared at her. "Shut up. Anywise, the first day you were here we all said how familiar you looked, and yesterday, it hit me."

"So, what's the verdict, Ron? Who do I look like?" Ebony asked.

"You look exactly like Professor Snape."

It was true. Both had the same sallow skin and the same narrow eyes. Ebony had the same smirk and evil glare that Snape could give. They _did_ look exactly alike.

A table back, Ebony could hear her uncle cough. He'd obviously been listening to the conversation and choked a little when Ron said it.

"Now that you mention it, she _does_ look like him!" Kate stated.

Ebony sighed. "I don't know what you're talking about. I do _not_ look like Professor Snape."

"I heard my name." Snape said from behind Ebony.

"Speak of the Devil! Not literally, Professor." Ron exclaimed. "Sir, would you do something for me?"

"No." Snape said flatly and started to walk away, but Ana grabbed his arm.

"It'll be but a second! Just stand here by Ebony." She pleaded.

"Ya see?" Ron said. "Except for his nose and her eye color, they're practically twins! You two aren't related, are you?"

Ebony made a face like she'd just sucked on a lemon. "_Related?!_ By a snowball's chance in _hell_ maybe!"

Snape agreed. "That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! Twenty points off Gryffindor for even _suggesting_ something like that." He started to walk away but stopped. "Oh, one more thing to make your day pleasant." He gave them an evil smirk. "Professor Sprout has taken ill. I told her I'd take her class today. So instead of two hours of potions class, you have four." He stated and walked away.

Kate put her head on the table. "Joy..."

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ana all agreed with a sigh.

"Well, we've got Transfiguration first..." Ebony said, trying to be optimistic. She loved her uncle dearly, but she couldn't stand his class.

Suddenly, the owls came in delivering letters and whatnot. Ebony was pleasantly surprised that she received a small package. She opened it and read a letter from her friend.

  


_Hey babe!_

_Haven't seen you in a while! How's life in England? Hope you're doing good. Nothing's really happened here that's been letter-worthy, but hey, this is New York. If I told you everything that's happened, this letter would be a novel. I decided to send you some stuff, 'cause, ya know. I thought you might be homesick or something. Tell your uncle "wassup" for me. I'm sure he misses me. LOL Well, I better get going. _

  


_Lots of love,_

_Xiomara_

  


Ebony hugged the letter, holding back tears.

"Who's it from, Eb?" Ana asked.

"My _best_ friend!" Ebony said, unable to hold back her tears any longer. She opened the box to uncover what it held.

"What's in it?" Kate and Ron asked in unison.

Ebony held up three spools of ribbon, one red, one white, and one blue.

"The colors of France?" Ron asked, rather confused.

"They're the colors of the U.S.A.!" Ebony yelled. She went back into the box and pulled out a handful of pictures and random souvenirs from tourist spots in New York. One was a tee-shirt that read "I Love NYC" with a heart that represented the word "love." She then looked at the clock. "Oh, crap! It's almost time for class! I'll show you guys these pictures later. I gotta get my books!" She grabbed the box and ran back to her dorm.

So the rest of the month dragged on. Ebony went to her classes and even adjusted to her new last name (sort of anyway). Her uncle had realized that he could talk to her through written messages. She also grew very homesick, but was too busy to talk to anyone, so she wrote it all to Snape. Before long, it was time for Halloween.


	5. Every Rose Has Its Thorns

Hermione had volunteered all of her friends to help set up decorations for extra credit claiming that they all needed it.

"I say we all just go play Quidditch." Kate said with a pout as they walked towards the Great Hall.

"Now, Kate. You _know_ you're not doing very well in potions." Hermione said.

"Well maybe if Snape had a _personality_ and _people skills_ I'd be able to do better!"

At that moment, they arrived in the Great Hall. Random students and all of the staff were helping set up decorations. Even a few people who didn't go to the school anymore were there...

"Bill!" Ron shouted, running towards his older brother.

"Ronnie!" Bill Weasley shouted, throwing his youngest brother high in the air.

Snape approached Ebony and looked at her companions. "I must speak with Miss Epans alone, please." Obediently, they left. "Why are you here?" He demanded.

"I told you I'd be here..." At least she thought she did.

Before either could utter another word, Bill Weasley ran over to the two and Ebony's face dropped. She remembered him, and suddenly knew why her uncle wouldn't want her here.

When she'd been very little, her parents would go out of town and leave her with her uncle. Bill Weasley was a student then and took care of her when Snape had been busy. Snape always thought he wanted extra credit, but in reality, Ebony reminded Bill of the young siblings he had at home and missed.

"Professor! This can't be little Ebony Snape, can it?" Bill inquired loudly. "Your little niece! She was only three last I saw her!"

The room went dead silent. The secret was out. Nobody except for Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Harry Potter knew. Now the entire school would know in a matter of hours. 

Bill's face dropped at the sound of silence. "They didn't know, did they?" He asked Snape.

"No, Mr. Weasley. They didn't." Snape stated matter-of-factly.

"Ebony..." Ana said slowly, walking up to her. "You lied to us. You told us you weren't related."

"Look, there's a _very_ good explanation for that..."

By now, Dumbledore had started to usher everyone who wasn't involved out of the room.

"Save it." Kate said softly. "We don't like liars."

"No, look, you don't understand." Ebony insisted.

Ana turned around. "Maybe we don't, but that gave you _no _reason to lie to us."

Snape's heart fell. The only world his niece had known was taken away from her, and the new one had been crushed by something that was meant to protect her. He suffered even more knowing she had his pride and would never cry about it.

"You're right, Ana." Ebony said cooly. "I had no right to lie to you. If you want nothing more to do with me, it would only be just punishment."

"If she lied to you, then so did I." Harry said defiantly.

"Harry? You _knew_?" Ron asked.

"Yes. I knew. I overheard a conversation they had one day."

Cold glares of the people who had once been her friends gazed upon her. Ebony didn't know where to turn.

"I... I must be going, I promised someone I'd help them with Herbology." She stuttered and walked out of the room, her head held high.

That evening, she didn't attend the feast.

The next morning, people ran up to her with a thousand questions.

"So," Draco Malfoy said casually. "I hear you're sleeping with Professor Snape. Is it true?"

"No, Draco, it's not true." She said evenly. "And I might suggest to tell the person you heard that from to pull their lip over their head and swallow. It would be doing the world a favor."

In potions that morning, everyone had a million questions for Snape. He settled the class and explained.

"Whatever you have heard about Ebony and I, forget it." He said sharply. "She is not my daughter, nor my cousin, nor my lover. She is my niece. Ebony, please stand up and reintroduce yourself."

She stood. "Hey all." She said in a shaky voice. "My name's Ebony Snape. My parents died a few weeks ago and I'm living at Hogwarts with my uncle because he's my only living relative. I said it before, and I'll say it again. Don't mess with me. I'm a New Yorker." She sat down.

The next week was living hell for poor Ebony. No one really talked to her. People looked at her differently. She usually ate by herself at meals with the exception of when her only friend, Harry Potter, would eat with her.

Saturday night, Snape decided to eat dinner with her.

"Well, what a pleasant surprise." Ebony said upon her uncle's appearance at the abandoned end of the Gryffindor table.

"I have to talk to you." Snape said, sitting down. Ebony looked up at him as he spoke. "I've been thinking about what's happened and I think it would be in your best interest if I sent you back to New York. You'd stay the year there and come back to England in the summer."

"Uncle Severus, you think I'm giving up?" Ebony asked, sounding very hurt.

"I'm just saying that it would probably be better for you if you're with people you know."

"Uncle Sev, I don't quit. I may have no friends except for Harry, but hey, that's one. Plus," She grinned an evil grin that reminded Snape painfully of his brother. "I'll make a comeback. You wait and see."

"That really frightens me when you're up to something. If you're anything like me, and I know you are, that something won't be very nice."

She gasped, pretending to be offended. "Why, I'm shocked you would think me evil, dear uncle." She smirked again.

And make a comeback she did. Not with her old friends anyway. She started to talk to the teachers and made a fast friend of Professor Sprout. She went to see Hagrid often, sharing his love of animals. Soon, Ebony was a regular social butterfly, but never spoke to Ron or Hermione. Not even to her room mates Ana and Kate. Which didn't bother Ebony because they had no desire to talk to her.


	6. One Last Breath

Quikie-note I: This chapter's for Christine, for without her, this chapter wouldn't be up.

Quikie-note II: "One Last Breath" is a beautiful song by Creed and it just seemed to fit the topic of this chapter. I personally recommend the song as a good download. 

  


A few weeks passed. One morning in late November, when the owls arrived at breakfast, Ana, Kate, Ron, Hermione, and Harry all received identical letters. They looked at each other, and Kate spoke up.

"I'll open mine first, and if it's a bomb, I'll be the first to die." They nodded in agreement. She opened it. Nothing happened. Her face fell as she read the contents, however.

"What's wrong?" Ana asked. "What is it?"

"You have to read it for yourselves." Kate said, hanging her head.

Ana opened her letter.

  


_Dear Ana,_

_Happy Thanksgiving. I realize that this means nothing to you as you don't celebrate it. In America, Thanksgiving is day to give thanks for everything in our lives. I just want you to know that I thank God every day to have you in my life. God bless you and happy Thanksgiving._

  


_Love always, your friend,_

_Ebony J. Snape_

  


Ana looked up.

"Don't you feel like the lowest thing on the planet now?" Kate asked.

"Most definitely." Ana agreed.

Harry smiled. Deep down they all deserved it. They never let her explain about lying. He looked down the table to where Ebony was sitting. She smiled at him.

Long after she had turned away, Harry stared at her. She was different now. She'd become quiet and more reserved. Her eyes had lost the icy fire they once held. She looked as though she hadn't slept in days, if not weeks.

Later, that evening after dinner, in their dorm, Kate decided to break the silence.

"Um... Ebony." She said quietly.

Ebony's head shot up. She hadn't had someone talk to her in a month. She gently put her book down and turned towards Kate.

"Did you call me?" She asked softly. 

Kate nodded. "I have a question."

"Shoot."

"On Halloween, you said you had a good reason to lie to us. I just want to know, was it a very good reason?" Ebony nodded. "If... if it's not too much trouble... would you tell me that reason?"

Ebony took a deep breath, as if preparing herself for a test or her own execution, whichever came first, and began. "In September, my parents..." She paused, collecting herself. "My parents were murdered." She blurted out quickly. "No one knows who did it, yet... My uncle was worried that they'd come after me, too, so he changed my last name..." She trailed off. Tears were starting to form in her eyes. "I... I just never told you guys because... I don't know. I'm so sorry." Ebony said, hanging her head

"Ebony. _I'm_ the one who should be sorry. I had no idea." Kate said, putting a hand on hers. Kate looked up and realized that Ebony was crying and pulled her in for a hug. "It's all right. Calm down."

"I miss them so much..." Ebony said, sobbing on Kate's shoulder. 

Kate eventually calmed Ebony down, and they both fell asleep. Around midnight, however, an alarm clock went off. 

Ebony awoke to its sound and quickly shut it off. She looked around to make sure no one was watching, and she snuck out of the dorm. She traveled down the hall towards the girl bathroom. Once she was inside, she sat down and began to write a letter.

  


_I reach out my hand into the darkness for a friend_

_No one is there_

_Only the inky blackness takes my withered limb and holds it tight_

_I cry, now, on the shoulder of the Night that rubs my back with wind and sends fresh kisses to caress my battered face_

_Paradoxical that my only hate become my only friend_

_The knife now in my hand but to use it I know not why nor how_

_I understand not you nor your ways_

_Nor you mine which be the reason of my demise_

_Irony that my only downfall become my only successor_

_Blood now fill my sight_

_As my tired, forsaken body fall soundly in the Night_

_The Darkness, once enemy, now comforter and new-found friend, embraces me once more_

_Holding me tighter than before_

_My eyes won't open_

_Breath now become short_

_The black of Night seemed so sweet and warm and trusting before_

_Only to Satan now I see has it led me_

_The sun doesn't shine this way_

_One more breath I dare to take_

_The Angel takes me and my body is caught in eternal sleep_

_Forever in the Night_

_No rhyme nor reason have I left for this tragic act_

_Just a cold, empty shell encased in blood in the darkness of the Night _

  


_Dear Uncle Severus,_

_Let me start by saying that I'm sorry it had to end like this. I don't want to hurt you of all people, but I can't go on living. I can't go on with the heartache that lives inside me anymore. Between Charlene killing herself, to Rex always being high on weed, to mom and dad being killed. I can't live with it all anymore. Please leave this poem as my last words. Again, I'm sorry._

  


_Your loving niece,_

_Ebony_

  


She put the letter down beside her and she removed a knife that had been hidden in her pajamas. Keeping her eyes wide open and concentrated, she ran the knife along her wrist, cutting a perfect, vertical line from palm to elbow. She repeated the action on the opposite arm.

Then, realizing that the letter would be dripped on, she moved it with her foot. It would be hard enough for her uncle to read that, he didn't need to see her blood dripped all over it as well.

Ebony sat there for a while, watching the crimson blood flow from her arm. There was nothing left to do but wait. She stood up and walked over to the window and smiled. All the stars were twinkling brightly in the heavens and a full moon shone. Growing tired, she trudged back to her original spot, laid down, and quickly fell asleep. 


End file.
